Frank Merriwell's Fame — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TIP TOP WEEKLY. ing the matter with Mr. Meriwell but a little too much—ah—. You understand.” The boy had grinned and winked, saying: “Oh, yes, I understand.” Lockwell gave the boy a quarter. “Go back in half an hour and tell the girl you can’t get a doctor,” he instructed. So it came about that no doctor was called for Frank. Elsie watched beside Merry till late, leav- ing the door of the room open. She saw two of the men carrying Parker Folansbee to his room, and she knew the supper was She shuddered as she thought of that supper. Then she waited for Lilian Bird or Hattie Harrison to come to her, but neither came. At last Frank stirred, opened his eyes for a moment, looked at Elsie, closed them and turned on his side. He seemed to be sleep- ing quietly at last. Elsie crept away to ‘her room, where she wept and worried till it began to grow light in the morning. Then she fell asleep. Fortunately the company did not have to leave the place till eleven o’clock the next forenoon. Had ‘it been necessary for an earlier start, it is pretty certain that some of them would not have been able to take the train. The morning papers came in from St. Louis at ten o’clock, and were eagerly waited for by Percy Lockwell and Leslie Lawrence, both of whom had turned out in time to sit down at the last table of the regular breakfast. Frank Merriwell came down stairs and into the office just as Lockwell and Lawrence were looking the papers over. He looked pale and unlike his usual buoyant self. “Do we get notices?” he asked, approach- ing the actors. Both started “Eh? Oh, yes!’ “Here is a very good notice in this paper.” exclaimed Lawrence. It was a really good notice of the show, telling the plot of the play and saying that the parts had been well filled. and Elsie were given especially good notices. ‘Merriwell Frank was spoken of as the author of the play. “This is fame, old fellow,’ f said Lawrence, patronizingly. “So is this,’ snickered Lockwell, handing over another paper. ‘This is very inter- esting reading.” Frank looked it over. He gave a start as he read down the column. The play was well spoken of, but the reporter had not failed to give an account of the supper that took place afterward at the hotel. It was said that at this supper the young author of the play had celebrated his triumph by He had drank more wine than anybody else, with attempting to make a “tank’”’ of himself. the result that he was the first person to go “under the table,” and he had been “ten- derly laid away to sleep off his jag.” Frank’s face had been pale, but it was flaming red when he had finished reading. “I would give fifty dollars to know who wrote this lie!’ he exclaimed, his eyes flash- ing. “Oh, now don’t be too hard, old fellow,” said Lawrence. “You couldn’t blame the re- porter, don’t you know. We all had a pretty swift time of it last night. Folansbee will have a nice little bill to settle before the land- lord will let us go on.” “What do you asked Frank, grimly. “Do you insinuate that I drank any- mean?” thing last night?’ “Oh, I don’t insinuate!” “Of coursesnot,” purred Lockwell. “My de-ah fellow!” . Frank put his hand to his head. Clif Had to “Monkey With the Buzz Saw” to Save His Life. See No. 30 of True Blue. —_ JOO